In the Steps of Robinson Crusoe, to West Africa's Cape Verde

[Iberostar Hotels & Resorts]

A paradise to be explored: Surely those words crossed the mind of Robinson Crusoe, perhaps the most famous fictional castaway in history, when he first laid eyes on the Cape Verde islands while sailing after several failed attempts, a handful of shipwrecks out of London and enslavement in Morocco. En route to Guinea, he and his crew had had a run-in with a Moorish pirate ship, and after a dramatic sea battle, were imprisoned until they arrived at the port of Salle. There, having been presented before the Sultan, some died while others, like Robinson, were enslaved in the court. Two years later, after striking up a friendship with Xury, his master in prison, an opportunity arose and he fled with him on the master’s boat. Together they arrived at these beautiful islands, from which he later set sail for Brazil.

Cape Verde: The Facts

Located in the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape Verde (“Green Cape”) archipelago has an area of 1,557 square miles, and is made up of ten volcanic islands and 5 islets, some of which are completely uninhabited. Who wants to go exploring?

By their position with respect to the wind, they are divided into:

• The Windward (Barlavento) Islands of Boa Vista, Sal, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, São Vicente (with a strong Cape Verdean flavor), and Santa Luzia
   
• The Leeward (Sotavento) Islands, including: Fogo, Brava, Maio and Santiago, the latter of which has a strong African influence

The official language is Portuguese, as you may have guessed from the names of the islands, and they enjoy aSaharan-temperate tropical climate with little rainfall, making it the perfect temperature year round: 68º F  (20º C) in winter and 77º F (25º C) in summer.

What To Do in Cape Verde

If you visit this verdant paradise, the best time to go is between November and July, which is the driest (the little rain that falls hereabouts falls mostly between August and October). Whether you’re into hiking, diving, fishing, windsurfing, or just plain tanning, this leaves an ample season to enjoy the islands’ perfect weather,  allowing you to take in their natural majesty, explore cliffs formed by ancient volcanic activity, or relax on virgin white-sand beaches, much like that old lover of the sea, Robinson Crusoe, would have done.

 

photo | Antifluor

This was first posted on the Passport To Iberostar blog